ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that mindfulness meditation exercises provide invaluable practice with acceptance, as the idea is for people who practice mindfulness to stay present with whatever their experience is in the moment, whether it is good or bad. Researchers and practitioners of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), a psychotherapy that has its roots in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and is considered to be in the broad family of CBTs, have advanced an alternative to cognitive restructuring. In fact, mindfulness meditation is an integral component of many specific approaches within the family of CBTs, including dialectical behavior therapy, ACT, emotion regulation therapy for generalized anxiety disorder, and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Many contemporary cognitive behavioral therapists readily incorporate mindfulness meditation into their clinical practice. Acceptance and mindfulness are lifestyle choices, the application of acceptance-based strategies should be done in a thoughtful, systematic manner.
